Conventional computers typically include a chassis that encloses circuit components, such as processors, memory chips, peripheral interface devices and other circuit elements. The core circuit components, such as the processor and the memory chips, are often mounted on a single printed circuit board, such as a motherboard. It is often desirable to provide the computer with expansion ports or slots for attaching additional printed circuit cards ("expansion cards") having additional circuit elements. In this manner, a user or manufacturer can add additional capabilities and/or functions to the computer without significantly altering the existing computer structure. In one conventional arrangement, the expansion slots are provided on the motherboard. One drawback with this approach is that the expansion slots take up valuable space on the motherboard. One approach to addressing this drawback is to attach an intermediate riser card to a single slot of the motherboard and attach a plurality of expansion cards to the riser card. Accordingly, a plurality of expansion cards can be coupled to the motherboard via the riser card in an arrangement that occupies only a single slot on the motherboard.
Conventional computer chassis and motherboards come in a variety of shapes and sizes. For example, some "full-form" conventional desktop computer chassis and tower chassis are dimensioned such that a single riser card, attached to the motherboard, can have six or seven expansion slots to accommodate expansion cards. A new type of "low-profile" chassis takes up less space than the conventional full-form chassis, but the low-profile has a limited height that cannot accommodate a riser card having six or more expansion slots. For example, in one low-profile configuration with an NLX motherboard that slides into the chassis, a riser card is attached directly to a low-profile chassis and the motherboard is coupled to one slot of the riser card. The low-profile riser card can include up to three additional expansion slots that each accommodate one expansion card. One drawback with this arrangement is that a different riser card may be required for low-profile and full-form chassis, and still a different riser card may be required for ATX or NLX motherboards. Accordingly, computer manufacturers and suppliers may be required to provide and maintain an inventory of several types of riser cards, which can be expensive and inefficient.